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Related Concept Videos

Mate Choice01:20

Mate Choice

Mate choice—the decision about whom to mate with—is a type of natural selection, since animals must reproduce to pass down their genes. Mate choice is also called intersexual selection because the behavior occurs between the sexes.
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The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
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Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
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Observation and Quantification of Mating Behavior in the Pinewood Nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus
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Published on: December 25, 2016

Polyandry and alternative mating tactics.

Bryan D Neff1, Erik I Svensson

  • 1Department of Biology, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, Canada. bneff@uwo.ca

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
|January 23, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Alternative mating tactics (AMTs) in animals, common in males, are influenced by female choice and polyandry. This review explores their evolution, genetic and environmental factors, and impact on sexual conflict.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Behavioral ecology

Background:

  • Alternative mating tactics (AMTs) describe behavioral variations within a sex, most frequently observed in males.
  • Male AMTs include strategies like mate guarding, sneaking, territorial defense, and female mimicry.
  • The prevalence of male AMTs is linked to greater sexual selection opportunities in males.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evolutionary dynamics of AMTs, focusing on the role of polyandry and female behavior.
  • To explore the genetic and environmental influences on the expression and development of AMTs.
  • To examine the impact of AMTs on breeding success, female fitness, and sexual conflict.

Main Methods:

  • Review of game theoretical and quantitative genetic models for AMT evolution.
  • Compilation and analysis of empirical examples of AMTs across species.
  • Discussion of ecological and genetic constraints on AMT evolution.

Main Results:

  • Polyandry significantly influences the reproductive success and evolutionary trajectory of male AMTs.
  • Both genetic and environmental factors mediate the expression of AMTs.
  • AMTs can be a source and consequence of sexual conflict, affecting female fitness.

Conclusions:

  • A novel model integrating environmental and genetic effects is proposed for AMT evolution.
  • Further research is needed to understand the underreporting of female AMTs and their evolutionary significance.
  • AMTs are a key factor in shaping mating systems and sexual selection dynamics.